Over 30 film screenings plus 2 masterclasses, The Live Script Readings and the BUFF Awards ceremony will all be hosted at the BT Tower from 6-12 September.

London, 29 June

Urban independent cinema arrives at the BT Tower this September as festival director Addie Akinrinade announced this year’s selections and schedule for 2017, sponsored by BT.

Akinrinade confirmed that the London premiere of Free In Deed will open this year’s film festival at the BT Tower on Wednesday the 6th of September and will feature a live Q&A with actor David Harewood who stars in the lead role as a pastor with healing powers set in an American black church.

The premiere will be hosted by Metro film editor Larushka Ivan-Zadeh.

Day 2 highlights include the London premiere of ‘A Landscape of Lies’ (directed by Paul Knight) with a cast including Marc Bannerman and TV presenter Andrea Mclean.

Also to be screened at the world famous venue will be the London premiere of Chapter and Verse on Friday the 8th of September. The movie centres around a reformed gang leader from Harlem, played by Daniel Beaty, and also stars Omari Hardwick and Emmy award-winning actress Loretta Devine. Both Beaty and director Jamal Joseph (a former black panther) will feature in the Q&A.

The premiere will be hosted by Paulette Harris-German.

Akinrinade also announced that the 5th annual renewal of the Live Script Readings is to take place on Thursday the 7th of September. The readings will be hosted by actor Wil Johnson.

The festival programme will also feature the London premieres of Blue Hollywood (directed by Francesco Gabriele), hair documentary Back to Natural, and Stay Woke (a documentary from B.E.T about the Black Lives Matter movement).

A United Kingdom received nods for best film, best actor and best actress for director Amma Asante, David Oyelowo and Rosamund Pike.

To Dream picked up nods including best film, best actor and best male emerging talent for Nicole Albarelli, Ed Hayter and Freddie Thorp.

The Intent received nods including best film, best actor and best actress for co-directors Femi Oyeniran & Kalvadour Petersen, Dylan Duffus and Jade Asha.

Residential also picked up nods for best film, best actor and best actress for director KD Pascal, Aubrey Whyte and Juanita Ingram.

Noir thriller Panic picked up 2 nods including best actor and best actress for David Gyasi and Pippa Nixon respectively.

In the best short film category, Cover Me (directed by Jo Southwell) is up against Hush (directed by Candice Onyeama), Signs of Silence (directed by RM Moses) and Lifeline (directed by Sam Jones).

Cover Me is also represented in the female emerging talent category picking up a nomination for lead actress Isis Davis who goes up against Maia Watkins (Soldier), Kate Lassman Long (The Backseat) and Krystine Atti (The Tinder Problem).